One fine morning, you enter your bathroom and something just doesn’t look right. You can’t seem to put your finger on it and after inspecting the bathroom thoroughly, you finally see it — a long, dirty and nasty streak that seems to be stuck to the edge of the bathtub. That, my friend, is the old caulk, which has severely worn out! All that water, dirt and mold is the reason why the caulk looks so nasty.
The good news is that if you want to replace this caulk with a new one, bathtub caulk strips will do the trick. Its application is quite easy and you don’t have to worry about creating a mess that usually comes along with the caulk paste. The biggest difference between traditional caulk and a caulk tape is that the former dries pretty fast and becomes hard to touch, whereas the latter is a flexible strip that does not expand much and can be easily removed.
This brings us to the bad news, which is — removing old caulk can be pretty frustrating. You need to put in a little elbow and grease to clean the area before applying the new caulk. However, if you have the right tools, the removal process can go a lot faster.
The second good news is that even if you don’t have the tools, we have a few alternative ways to remove the caulk.
Let’s have a look at them:
Table of Contents
Solution #1
Use Caulk Remover
First, try commercial cleaners to remove the caulk. The process itself is pretty simple. Following are six steps that will take you through the removal:
- Wipe the caulk with a wet caulk to remove and surface dirt. Once it is dry, apply caulk remover (3M) along the line. The instructions on the back say to let the caulk remover sit for 2 to 3 hours. However, for an extra smooth removal, we suggest leaving it in place overnight
- Once the caulk has softened, you can use a putty knife or caulk remover tool to scrape the material
- Take great precaution when scrapping the caulk or the tool will make marks on the wall
- Scrub and clean the surface with soap water. If there’s mold on the edges, then use a mold cleaner. Make sure that the cleaner does not have ammonia in it as it can release poisonous fumes
- To clean the gaps, use a mixture of bleach and water. Use a paintbrush to rub in the solution and wait for a few minutes. Wear gloves and then scrub and clean the surface once again
- Once the surface has dried, apply the bathtub caulk strips
Solution #2
Homemade Softening Solutions
Don’t have the commercial caulk remover? Don’t worry because there are plenty of other solutions you can use.
- For Polyvinyl Acetate Resin and Water-Based Acrylic Caulk
- Take a couple of light hand towels and soak it in isopropyl rubbing alcohol
- Place them along the line, on the caulk, for a couple of hours
The caulk absorbs the alcohol, which expands it and makes it soft. You can then use a putty knife to remove the caulk.
- For Silicone-Based Caulk
Mix the powdered cleaner with warm water and form a paste. Use a cotton swab to coat the caulk. Make sure that it doesn’t touch the bathtub or the wall. Leave it on for a few hours and then insert a knife in it to check if the caulk has gone soft. Keep testing after every hour and scrape it once the caulk has softened. To clean the mold, follow the last three steps mentioned above in the first section.
Solution #3
Hair Dryer
Using a hairdryer to soften caulk can be a little tricky. However, if you want your new flexible edge trim to look smooth without any lumps, then do give this trick a try. The heat temperature output should be around 212 F and not more than that, or it will ruin the bathtub’s edges.
Heat the caulk for 40 seconds and then use a putty knife to scrape the material. Cover small surfaces at a time, so that no caulk residue remains behind.
Solution #4
Vinegar
If you are looking for a household solution that will help you remove the caulk, then look in your pantry. The all-purpose solution vinegar is an eco-friendly alternative to remove caulk. It won’t leave any residue or toxic smell behind. In fact, it will make the bathtub’s edges shine!
Vinegar works dissolving the sticky residue in the caulk, which allows you to remove it easily. Here’s what you need to do:
- Put on latex gloves before you start working (this will prevent any irritation)
- In a large bowl, pour two cups of vinegar
- Soak a dish scrubber in vinegar and then place it on the caulk. Press it in lightly for a few minutes and then see if the caulk has softened
- Dip the scrubber in vinegar once again and then scrub the caulk vigorously
- As you see the caulk dissolving, use a putty knife to scrape it
- Keep repeating this and cover small surfaces at a time
- If you still see a little residue left behind, then repeat steps 3 and 4 again
- Dip a dishrag in warm water and clean the surface
- You can now apply your new flexible edge trim
It’s easy, right? If you have kids and are worried about the chemicals in commercial cleaners, then try the hairdryer and vinegar solution. They are pretty safe and do not require much effort.
Author Bio:
Greg Amundson is the founder and creator of InstaTrim & have been working in the home construction industry for 30+ years and have always had a passion to make DIYers’ life easier developing products like flexible white trim, black caulk tape, grey PVC corner trim, etc.